PHYSICS 231

INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS I
www.pa.msu.edu/courses/phy231

Scott Pratt
prattsc@msu.edu
(517) 355-9200, ext. 2016
Office Hours:
Monday, 9-10:30 AM in 1248 BPS

Course Information

http://www.pa.msu.edu/courses/phy231

Succeeding in Physics 231

1) Do your homework (yourself)!
2) Use the help room (1248 BPS) !
3) Make sure you understand both why and why
not
4) Interrupt the lecturer!

General
Physics
First Semester (Phy 231)
Mechanics
Thermodynamics
Simple harmonic motion
Waves

Second Semester (Phy 232)

Electromagnetism
Relativity
Modern Physics
(Quantum Mechanics, , etc.)

Mechanics
Half the course
Quantified largely by Galileo
Problems involve:
velocity, acceleration, mass, momentum, energy,
torque, angular momentum, moment of inertia

UNITS (Systme Internationale)

Dimension

SI (mks) Unit

Definition

Length

meters (m)

Distance traveled by light in

1/(299,792,458) s

Mass

kilogram (kg)

Mass of a specific platinumiridium allow cylinder kept by

Intl. Bureau of Weights and
Measures at Svres, France

Time

seconds (s)

9,192,631,700 oscillations of
cesium atom

Standard Kilogram
at Svres

Dimensional Analysis
Dimensions & units can be treated algebraically.
Variable from Eq. x
dimension

v=(xf-xi)/t

a=(vf-vi)/t

L/T

L/T2

Dimensional Analysis
Checking equations with dimensional analysis:

x f

(L/T2)T2=L
L

(L/T)T=L

Each term must have same dimension

Two variables can not be added if dimensions
are different
Multiplying variables is always fine
Numbers (e.g. 1/2 or ) are dimensionless

Example 1.1
Check the equation for dimensional consistency:
2

mc
2
mgh

mc
2
1 (v / c )
Here, m is a mass, g is an acceleration,
c is a velocity, h is a length

Example
1.2
Consider the equation:
v2

m
r

Where m and M are masses, r is a radius and

v is a velocity.
What are the dimensions of G ?

L3/(MT2)

Example 1.3
Given x has dimensions of distance, u has
dimensions of velocity, m has dimensions of
mass and g has dimensions of acceleration.
Is this equation dimensionally valid?

Yes

Is this equation dimensionally valid?

No

Units vs. Dimensions

Dimensions: L, T, M, L/T
Units: m, mm, cm, kg, g, mg, s, hr, years
When equation is all algebra: check dimensions
When numbers are inserted: check units
Units obey same rules as dimensions:
Never add terms with different units
Angles are dimensionless but have units (degrees
or radians)
In physics sin(Y) or cos(Y) never occur unless Y is
dimensionless

Example
1.3
Grandma traveled 27 minutes at 44 m/s.
How many miles did Grandma travel?

44.3 miles

Prefixes

In addition to mks units,

standard prefixes can be used,
e.g., cm, mm, m, nm

Example 1.4a

40 m
The above expression yields:
a)
b)
c)
d)

40.11 m
4011 cm
A or B
Impossible to evaluate (dimensionally invalid)

Example 1.4b

1.5 m
The above expression yields:
a)
b)
c)
d)

4.5 m kg
4.5 g km
A or B
Impossible to evaluate (dimensionally invalid)

Example 1.4b

1.5 m3.0 kg m/s

The above expression yields:
a)
b)
c)
d)

-1.5 m
-1.5 kg m2
-1.5 kg
Impossible to evaluate (dimensionally invalid)